With the rapid evolution of electronic technology, data processing of electronic products including mobile communication apparatuses, servers and mainframe computers has been continuously developed towards high frequency signal transmission and high speed digitalization, and low-dielectric resin materials have therefore become the mainstream for the development of laminates with a high transmission rate so as to meet the demands of high speed data processing.
Conventionally, resin compositions for copper-clad laminates generally use an epoxy resin crosslinked with a phenolic, amine or anhydride curing agent. However, these compositions fail to achieve a low dissipation factor (Df); in particular, Df is hardly lower than 0.009 and is even more difficult to reach 0.007 or lower at 10 GHz. In addition, desirable laminate thermal resistance and peeling strength between a laminate and a copper foil are difficult to attain at the same time.
For example, certain polyphenylene ether resin and certain cyanate ester resin have been used in combination in prior arts to obtain desirable processability, thermal resistance and solvent resistance, but such composition cannot satisfy the requirements of low dissipation factor. It has also been reported in prior arts to combine polyphenylene ether resin with other components to obtain a particular dissipation factor, thermal resistance and mechanical performance; however, the dissipation factor was usually measured or tested at 1 GHz or a lower frequency. In general, when the frequency gets higher, the dielectric constant will also become higher, which results in poorer dielectric properties. Accordingly, it would be desirable for those skilled in the art to obtain a low dissipation factor (Df) at 10 GHz while at the same time to maintain other properties, especially thermal resistance and peeling strength of the laminate, at an acceptable level.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a resin composition and an article made therefrom having low dissipation factor at high frequency and excellent thermal resistance and peeling strength and being useful for a copper-clad laminate and a printed circuit board.